Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Guinea Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Guinea

Name: Guinea
Address: GN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in South Africa versus $778 in Guinea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in South Africa versus $1,315 in Guinea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,154 in South Africa versus $1,852 in Guinea.

Living in South Africa is roughly 31% more expensive than in Guinea on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Guinea 42% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Guinea: monthly costs span $204 to $1,352, compared to $803–$1,362 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Guinea.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R 151

$6.33 GNF 55.3K

44.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 R 648

$31.25 GNF 273.4K

25.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 R 85.9

$10.80 GNF 94.5K

-51.94%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.73

$3.40 GNF 29.7K

-41.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.57

$1.57 GNF 13.8K

-36.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 13.01

$1.23 GNF 10.7K

-35.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.61

$2.43 GNF 21.3K

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R 42.58

$4.10 GNF 35.9K

-37.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.56

$2.22 GNF 19.4K

-49.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 R 16.01

$1.49 GNF 13.1K

-34.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.55

$1.47 GNF 12.9K

4.76%

Eggs

$2.25 R 37.22

$2.88 GNF 25.2K

-21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 130

$18.45 GNF 161.4K

-57.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.8

$6.38 GNF 55.8K

-28.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R 111

$10.08 GNF 88.2K

-33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.06

$2.50 GNF 21.9K

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.35

$2.41 GNF 21.0K

-39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.18

$2.59 GNF 22.7K

-41.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.98

$2.72 GNF 23.8K

-44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.85

$1.85 GNF 16.1K

-31.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.11

$1.92 GNF 16.8K

-33.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.99

$1.04 GNF 9,095

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 16.04

$1.06 GNF 9,263

-8.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R 46.95

$1.14 GNF 9,993

149.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 R 86.1

$10.92 GNF 95.6K

-52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.91

$1.62 GNF 14.1K

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.44

$1.79 GNF 15.7K

-3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.50

$1.47 GNF 12.9K

17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 R 732

$27.96 GNF 244.6K

58.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.06

$1.51 GNF 13.2K

-23.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.64

$0.90 GNF 7,861

18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 R 78.4

$39.60 GNF 346.4K

-88.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.24

$1.41 GNF 12.4K

-9.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.4K R 337.1K

$24.9K GNF 217.6M

-18.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.0K R 397.0K

$23.9K GNF 208.7M

0.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 R 1,869

$177 GNF 1.5M

-36.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.35 R 536

$74.8 GNF 654.0K

-56.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.46 R 686

$189 GNF 1.7M

-78.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 R 514

$91.0 GNF 795.7K

-65.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 R 161

$29.27 GNF 256.1K

-66.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 110

$4.06 GNF 35.6K

64.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$186 R 3,072

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 R 72.8K

$6,554 GNF 57.3M

-32.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 830

$20.03 GNF 175.2K

150.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 R 503

$24.57 GNF 214.9K

23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 R 1,546

$29.50 GNF 258.1K

216.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R 1,332

$49.03 GNF 428.9K

64.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,261

$643 GNF 5.6M

-31.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,155

$322 GNF 2.8M

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R 14.9K

$1,881 GNF 16.5M

-52.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.7K

$1,027 GNF 9.0M

-31.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 R 18.5K

$108 GNF 940.5K

938.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$793 R 13.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 R 24.9K

$2,305 GNF 20.2M

-34.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

9.45

22.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for South Africa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guinea: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $368 in South Africa, $312 in Guinea. Capital cities: $292 in Bloemfontein vs $625 in Conakry.

National salary averages: $1,513 in South Africa, $1,810 in Guinea. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 18% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 17% more in South Africa.

Salaries are 20% higher in Guinea, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Guinea.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

South Africa vs Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $778 per month in Guinea and $1,083 in South Africa, there's a 39% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guinea: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in South Africa is consistently higher than in Guinea across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Guinea, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in South Africa it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Guinea wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.